Football fans around the world have celebrate and commiserated as all but one of the 32 teams that will compete at the World Cup in Brazil next year were confirmed. With Uruguay and Jordan battling it out for the final spot.

Good luck to the country that draws Brazil in the World Cup draw. Source: AP

THE World Cup in 2014 is just about to get a whole lot more real, with the draw for the 2014 tournament to be made in Salvador on Friday night/Saturday morning (EDT).

Officially, the pots are yet to be announced, although based on the 2010 World Cup draw, Australia and our Asian comrades will be grouped with North America in pot four; Europe comprises pot two, while pot three is a composite group made up from Africa and the rest of South America and Europe.

What we do know already, however, is the World Cup's top eight seeds - one of whom we are guaranteed to play.

With the upcoming World Cup, many A-League players are hoping to impress Ange Postecoglou and force their way into the 23-man squad heading to Brazil.

It is both a daunting and tantalising prospect for Ange Postecoglou and the Socceroos. The 2006 vintage famously acquitted themselves well against Brazil in Germany, taking the opportunity of a high profile fixture to impress the globe of our wares.

That's the attitude they'll need to embrace again in 2014, but still, like the rest of the non-seeded teams, we'll all have our fingers, toes and everything else crossed in the hope of landing in Switzerland's group!

So, if you could choose one of the top teams to face, which one would it be?

Stay tuned throughout the week as we count down to the highly anticipated World Cup draw, with reports from our reporters on the ground, Tom Smithies and David Davutovic.

BRAZIL

IT could go either way with Brazil. They'll ride the crest of manic home support to a sixth World Cup triumph, or the pressure, scrutiny and expectation will prove all too much (as it did in 1950). Given the side's showing at the Confederations Cup, and star man Neymar's incredible ability to rise to the occasion so far in his young career, it looks like being the former. And as the Socceroos can contend, at home, they're a frightening proposition. The only advantage with drawing the hosts is that they haven't played in a competitive fixture outside of the Confederations Cup since South Africa 2010, because they automatically qualified as hosts. Or is that clutching at straws?

Brazil's plight might be the major focus, but a huge subplot will be the Lionel Messi show. Unused in 2006, underwhelming in 2010 - the World Cup stage is the last frontier he needs to dominate to clinch his spot among history's greats. Will that spur or curtail Argentina? Although Brazil is their fierce football rival, playing on your continent is nevertheless a huge boon for any country. They won it the last time it was held in South America, at home, in 1978.

FEAR FACTOR: Let's steer clear of La Albiceleste.

Radamel Falcao gives Colombia a true talisman.Source: AP

COLOMBIA

Argentina dominated the qualifying scene in Brazil's absence, but Colombia have exploded back into World Cup finals reckoning for the first time since France, 1998. Radamel Falcao is their undoubted talisman, with James Rodriguez the creative force among a direct side capable of passing well through midfield. But they'll be without their home ground advantage in Brazil. Bogota is 2,600 metres above sea level, while it's a hot bother for away sides travelling to Barranquilla on the Caribbean coast. They're an interesting prospect in the top seeding; depth is questionable, but they showed their wares against fellow top seeds Belgium in a recent 2-0 win.

Home continent advantage is hitting home in the top seedings, with our old foes Uruguay in the top pool. Wouldn't that make an interesting match-up! The La Celeste had to revisit their familiar playoff path to confirm qualification, and smashed Jordan away 5-0 to seal their spot. They enjoyed a superb campaign in South Africa, finishing fourth, and their current world ranking sees them as a protected seed despite finishing fifth in South American qualifying. They're a dangerous opponent, not least because of their cavalry upfront: Luis Suarez, Diego Forlan and Edinson Cavani. While some might point to their fifth place as a sign of decline - think not. No surprises then that their qualifying renaissance came by hitting those star men on the break. Oscar Washington Tabarez's outfit recovered from an awful start to shine when under pressure - beating direct rivals for fifth Venezuela 1-0 in June, and then winning 2-1 at Peru as they rebuilt their campaign.

FEAR FACTOR: Given our fierce rivalry, a match-up to relish.

Spain's midfielder Xavi will again be at the heart of Spain’s quest.Source: AFP

SPAIN

Anyone facing Spain has the chance to try and stand in the way of history, as Vincente del Bosque's side vies for an unprecedented fourth straight major crown, dating back to Euro 2008, and are the best placed European side to win a World Cup in South America. Are Spain a declining power, with ageing midfielders or will their tried and tested midfield possession domination prevail again, as it did to see them pip France in a tough qualifying group.? The false No. 9 was in vogue in 2012, as Spain won the Euros without an injured David Villa and with a toothless Fernando Torres. But in Diego Costa, Atletico Madrid's Brazilian-born striker, they might have solved a selection conundrum upfront after he pledged his allegiance to the defending champions.

FEAR FACTOR: Immense

Mesut Ozil will again be a key player for Germany.Source: AP

GERMANY

Joachim Low's side will again be one of the favourites, and as we know too well from 2010, a serious threat in the group stages. But despite being a consistent presence at the business end of big tournaments, the nation yearns for a first major trophy since Euro 1996 - and the pressure is building. Germany still play a swashbuckling brand of football, with a cavalcade of talent capable of doing so. But scepticism has crept in. Are they too pretty? Can they take the next step? Are there defensive and mental frailties, and can Low hack it tactically on the big stage? Even though they romped home in qualifying, doubts emerged via two wildly open and entertaining games against nearest rival, Sweden.

If you haven't followed football closely, you'd be puzzled to see Belgium ahead of Italy, England, France and Netherlands in the top pool. But if you follow Europe's best leagues, you'll have been shaking your head in wonder over the last four years at the explosion of talent blossoming at the top level as the country enjoys a golden generation. They cruised home in Group A ahead of Croatia and Serbia. They're spoilt for choice, with the likes of Christian Benteke, Romelu Lukaku, Kevin Mirallas, Eden Hazard, Maroune Fellaini, Vincent Kompany, Mousa Dembele, Jan Vertonghen, Thomas Vermaelen, Simon Mignolet and Thibaut Courtois just the top line of a supremely talented group.

FEAR FACTOR: They don't carry the aura of a France or Italy, but are formidable on paper and are plenty of people's smoky for a deep World Cup run. Still a preferred seed option, though.

SWITZERLAND

When the qualifying draw was made, they were ranked 30th and fell into the third pot of European sides, drawing Norway, Iceland and Slovenia. But they cashed in on one of Europe's weakest groups to claw their way up to No. 7 on the FIFA world rankings to knick a spot in the world elite, based on FIFA's oft questionable rankings system. Ottmar Hitzfeld's side are stubborn and hard to break down (remember, they did throw a spanner in the works, beating Spain in a shock result in 2010). Their star men are Napoli midfielder Gökhan Inler, Bayern Munich winger Xherdan Shaqiri, Borussia Mönchengladbach midfielder Granit Xhaka and Basel's Valentin Stocker.

FEAR FACTOR: They did not qualify for Euro 2012, and did not get out of their group in the 2010 World Cup or Euro 2008. Every team's dream top seed.

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